AWC inducts new president for 2019

The ASEAN Women's Circle of Jakarta held its 2019 Installation Ceremony on 28 March 2019 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. The Installation Ceremony marked the official handing over of the AWC presidency from Madame Sari Percaya to Madame Dhani Sarwono, both from Indonesia.

Madame Sari Percaya opened the ceremony with a heartfelt and encouraging reminder that it only takes passion and one’s bare hands to make a difference. She highlighted the fundraisers organised and donations made during her tenure as AWC president, and thanked the ASEAN Secretariat for their unfailing support, as well as the executive committee for their hard work. In closing, she appealed to all present to give the same support to the new president and executive committee.

In her remarks at the ceremony, AWC Chief Patron Madame Yasmin Fachir, spouse of Indonesian Vice Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir, expressed her appreciation to Madame Sari Percaya for her leadership, and the executive committee for their devoted work. Recalling the theme for International Women’s Day 2019, “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change”, Madame Yasmin Fachir said that AWC activities should voice the same effort. She expressed her belief that AWC would further contribute to the work of ASEAN as a whole. For his part, ASEAN Deputy

Secretary-General for Community and Corporate Affairs Dr. AKP Mochtan pledged the continued support of the ASEAN Secretariat to the new AWC president and executive committee. He said that the Secretariat was excited to explore how it can work together with AWC to deepen and expand outreach to the ASEAN community, and continue to add value.

In her acceptance speech, new AWC President Madame Dhani Sarwono said that she would do her utmost to keep the energy going and, with the committed individuals of the executive committee, AWC would surely follow through with the work that had been done. She emphasized that AWC is more than fundraising, its focus is on forging partnerships and friendships, and providing continuous support to its beneficiaries. She also said that AWC would work closely with the ASEAN Secretariat to invest in the education of our future generation through AWC programmes and activities.

Meanwhile, AWC continues to contribute to local foundations and support initiatives for the betterment of the ASEAN community. This spirit showed through in the special performances during the ceremony. Guests were treated to a delightful rendition of well-known Indonesian and Western songs by Brian and Lio from Masyarakat Peduli Autis Indonesia (MPATI), a beneficiary of AWC’s donations. MPATI is a non-profit foundation that focuses its activities on empowering parents, teachers and therapists to provide proper guidance and education for young people with autism. The guests also had the opportunity to view a recorded rehearsal of the percussion piece that a group of children with down syndrome will perform at the upcoming Indonesia Drum and Percussion (IDP) Festival, with support from AWC.

Also present at the installation ceremony was the ASEAN Foundation, there to raise awareness of its commitment to promoting ASEAN agriculture through the ASEAN Farmers’ Organisation Support Programme (AFOSP).

#Installation